Quit being an ahole Archer. America has been free from armed rebellion because we have elections and we respect the democratic processes as established in the constitution. Get a life man I mean really. You obviously prefer goose steppers to take over by force. Such a result would fit your tyrannical mind set.

We go along Archer with the result of political elections. We don't revolt or take over things by force. That is part of our freedom to be free of such nonsense as taking things into our own hands, We confer vote and follow the vote. You do also unless you are in jail for a violent uprising, are you? Your crap about taking care of yourself is just crap, you live in a interdependent world, quit lying to yourself and to everyone else.

The greatest thing about the Presidential Election cycle may not be who is elected but about the discussion of issues and the selection of priorities in the governance and course of our society, nation, and country. Who would have thought (except Al Gore) a year ago about the current discussions underway in our country. Of course many do not want to explore issues only to win the election. But the issues will take root to some extent regardless of who wins. As some have said the political designation D, just as in a car, means forward and the politcal designation R means backward. I give the quote a Five Star rating because yes these discussions do beed a higher and higher level of knowledge and understanding. The quote is a good reason why we maybe should have a greater degree of discussion and democaracy on an ongoing basis where we all may participate more fully and thus expierence the fruits of Liberty more fully.

Regulating thought is a difficult thing to do. But expression that is another matter. In groups like the local tavern scene where most world problems and politics are actually discussed and settled the difficult of free expression can be easily seen. One must express his views with tact and deplomacy. Some groups tolerate little freedom.

Logan the quote does not say that Freedom of the Press is the most important but that it has suffered degradation the most. Why is it always the left that gets the blame when it is that right wing guy from Australia that owns all of the tabloids. As far as Hollywood it has it share of right wingers helping to churn out our garbage and some of its B actors are picked up to be our latest "star" politicians, need I mention names, but of course: Schwarznegger, Reagan, for starters. As far as freedom now the right wing does not want their gal Sarah to Face or Meet the Press. Less we forget the author above was the great French wirter who I believe may have been living in New York about this time 1961 (which is near the time of his death in a car accident). He was probably triggered into saying this due to the political atmosphere coming out of th '50's with the Joe McCarthy thing etcetera. This was also the Presidential season in which Kennedy was elected. He was also a figure in the French resistance movement against the Nazis so he new something about press repression.

I don't nor do most people agree with the crowd in America, we all go along until the next election (political speaking) because that is the ground rules or rules of engagement in our system of public business. Now in private matters of product choice, styles, clothing, housing, life style etcetera people are totally free to choose, the fact that they observe parents, family, peers, and the general public and do similar things and style is also a fact of life for good or bad. Man is generally a social animal. If he were not then we would not be discussing opinion and I would agree with you that it would not matter. Your personality Archer is more suited to be a mountain lion which I understand lives alone except for the brief mating season. He occupies a 7 miles square or 50 square mile area alone except for the other species which he takes for his meals. He does tolerate any other lions or their opinions, his world is made of "fact". I noticed today that even hummingbirds in my backyard guard the feeder and chase other hummingbird new comers away. Kings or tyrannts also do not have to tolerate any thing called opinion. Humans for some reason do not always behave that way, they often help each other and do things together and socialize. I think tyranny can often come from an idea like you expressed above "I understand you better than you realize." I heard Mrs. Palin make a similar remark in one of her governor speeches. She stated an opinon and then said "I know you all believe that too." In those words she is putting her beliefs into others or telling people what they believe rather than asking them, treating them fairly. I had a female boss or better yet bitch of a boss like that. That like your statement above can be the start of tyranny. It appears to me that you have the potential to be as tyrannical as anyone regardless of your cynical claim of loving freedom. Your questioning of my free thinking approach is telling concerning your mentality. You think if I sound individualistic (at least to your sensibilities) then I must be consistent and always take and "individualistic" stance as opposed to what you otherwise categorize as my "collectivist" approach. I think you need to free your mind and free other people from your categorical thinking.

"The world is the world" and it is if you mean the untouched physical world you may be right but even that gets touched and changed by biological life. The world of man however is strongly effected and created by opinion. Architecture, music, art, landscaped gardens are an opinion. Style is an opinion. Most of everything on this site are opionins. The Supreme Court does not diseminate facts it disseminates opinions which become "facts of law". Election results are an expression of an opinion. You truly do live in a cave if you do not understand the role and influence of opinion in life Archer.

Hey Logan fuck demorcray. It is majority rule for me, what did all those ass holes say about majority rule? You have long ago agreed that we are a majority ruled society, don't worry about the word so much, it makes you crazy. Einstein's strength was in his ability to use thought experiments. He just closed his eyes and thought things through, developed the math later. Try it some times Logan it is a refreshing activity.

I humbly suggest Warren that demographics and the environment also have a histroy. There are many histroris of course, social history, labor history, politcal history, art history, music history, history of science, and yes Warren even Poplulation Studies, and Environemental History. Expand your mind kind Sir.

Archer you apparently fail to differentiate in your thinking between private life and public life. In private life no one regulates your life. No one to my knowledge on this site is discussing peoples private lives let us have an understanding unless otherwise stated that we are discussing public life. In public life where two or more meet and agree to do things together discussions, compormise and consensus is required. I have made several more posts at the last Von Mises quote, please read. Majority is to a Democracy the same thing a King is to a Monarchy, thus it can equally be said of both, "The King or Majority is dead, Long Live the King or Majority". The majority is not monolithic but changes constantly and with different issues. If you like the idea of "Knowing ones own mind and keeping ones own counsel" do you not believe it is a good policy for everyone. If you have a population of such personalities who know their own minds and keep their own counsel and they feel a need to do something together based on the idea of a majority vote, does that make the decision by these self posessed personalites innately wrong. Think for a moment man think. Your twisted thoughts expressed on this site is that the majority innately do not know their own minds or keep their own counsel. Your kind of thinking is the same as dictators and tyrannts which they believe therefore gives them the authorty to take over public life. Be careful man be very careful it sounds like you do not believe in freedom.

Archer I have no authority to grant anything. It is common knowledge that opinion runs things and that is a fact. Possibly a sad fact but a fact. The Supreme Court renders opinions not facts. As far as the majoirity goes it is the same thing to a Democracy that a King is to a Monarchey. Thus it is said equally in both "the King or Majority is dead long live the King or Majority".

I repeat Archer if you choke up every time you might agree with 51% of the group or the people you are some kind of sick dude. If 101 persons are asked a yes or no question their will of necessity be a majority and a minority response. If 50 say the answer is YES and 50 say the answer is NO and you have the final vote I would assume that you would shoot yourself or at least run for your life rather than casting a vote that would put you into the majority position. Again I think your demented and sneering view of the majority is sick, sick, sick. I am an individual, I do not have to pose or posture against a majority, minority, or plurality to reinforce my feeling of being an individual. I don't consider my fellow majority view holders as sheep just logical individuals like myself. While I may be complex you are an obvious simpleton.

You are wrong Archer, it is a common place that the world is made of opinion. Perception changes thngs, spirituality changes things, "Love Changes Everything". I did not say that I dislike democracy because it can be in error soemtimes, I still think like Chruchill that in the long run it is the best type of government. While the power of an ignoranat majority may be tough to take on occasion it is much better than the power of an ignorant minority. Over time it has been shown that majority knows best and its opinons are better than those of the minority. The USA is a democracy.

Good everybody. Archer and Ken I think it is also true that regardless of facts the world is made of opinion, whether the facts like it or not. Thus our politcal leadership in a "mob" ruled democracy reflect the educational level or opinon level of the majority. Now I would not have it any other way, for the safety of the political system, but I also beleve that we suffer somewhat to be ruled by ignorant opinion rather that absolute fact. Thus it is always in a democracy.

I think the warning system is broke if it ever did really work. Look at population growth and environmental issues. No one is listening to those warnings.

Not according to the RNC and the McCain-Palin people.

I recall in high school or junior high that the more education you get the more you realize what you don't know. It seems to me that the political divide is also on this point.

Your thinking Archer and others like Jim K appears to go like this: "If I state an opinion and 51% of those present agree with me then I must be wrong and therefore must change my opinion." You not only distrust the majority of people, it is yourself that you do not trust. You are like that Groucho Marx saying "I would never want to initiate an opinon and have every one or the majority agree with me."

I guess I am a complex guy Archer. But my post is not intentionally individualistic, just I believe a truism that is available to all. If one believes in the Golden Rule and equality then every individual making up the so called masses or as you prefer collective each have their own counsel and own mind. The fact that their own individual counsels and minds agree to form a majority thus does not make the majority innately wrong. I would suggest that it is more innately "correct". Where I think some of you err is not allowing for the fact that anyone who might be in the majority of an opinion is relying on their own counsel and own mind.

Good stuff Ken. Maybe we could even learn to love and respect the majority. Take note Jim K.

Knowing your own mind and keeping your own counsel enables you to be confident and relaxed when interacting with others whether it is with another individual or with a large group of people even a mass or so called mob. As Kipling said, "You are a man when you can speak to Kings or Common Folk equally."

Tell this to Palin the library cesnor.

We all reason rightly and wrongly at different times, that is being human. I mostly and sadly agree with the last phrase.

I think we are becoming a little too abstract about what liberty is, as if it is something that can never be had or grasped. As Americans we take for granted the tremendous freedom we have to worship, to vote, to choose our culture, career paths, express ourselves etcetera. It is not this way everywhere, that is what liberty or freedom form the mother country entailed. Not only politcal freedom but cultural freedom also. A societal break with the strictures of Monarchy and Church.

I think he means use it or lose it. Don't only worship the past fact of American liberty or freedom but practice it today.